Davion Mintz received the green light to rain at the Rupp Arena, helping the Cats win one of their biggest wins of the season, a 92-64 victory over South Carolina at the end of the regular season.
Mintz left the interval locker on fire. The senior who spent most of the game playing as a point guard went crazy, burying five points from three points early in the second period, with three coming in consecutive possession to give Kentucky a 19 point advantage and effectively leave South Carolina by the rear view mirror.
Mintz scored 20 points in just 28 minutes, knocking down 6 of 11 three-point attempts, but he was not the only Wildcat to hit the center of the city.
The fourth basket of three points from BJ Boston that night gave Kentucky six treys in the first six minutes of the second half. He made two more to match Mintz’s six trios, scoring 21 points from 13 attempts off the field. Yes, two Kentucky basketball players scored six points in a single game. It was the first time in the entire second season that the Wildcats scored 20 points or more. Kentucky had 13 of 27 points behind the three-point line (48.1%), propelling the UK attack to a performance of 92 points, the highest number of points scored in a game this season.
Kentucky has beaten South Carolina eight times in a row at the Rupp Arena. The 28-point winning margin is the largest against an SEC opponent since February 2019, the last time Gamecocks traveled to the Rupp Arena. Most importantly, the Wildcats have gained confidence with a positive victory when they need it most. See how it all unfolded.
A different and quick start
The Wildcats employed nine different starting lineups in 24 games this season. This time, Devin Askew was not fighting for the point, removed to Jacob Toppin after failing to make a basket in consecutive games. Moving Mintz to aim seemed to work immediately.
Kentucky scored four of its first five field goals thanks to some good looks at Isaiah Jackson’s basket and a pair of Boston three-pointers, giving the UK a 15-10 lead. The Cats did not immediately put him in cruise control.
South Carolina striker Jaylyn McCreary made his way to eight points over a four-minute span, while the Wildcats struggled to finish through contact at the edge. McCreary was South Carolina’s second highest scorer with 14 points, but he played just 14 minutes. Frank Martin’s rough style kept him close, but not for long.
Sorry Jimmy
BBN received an unexpected surprise at the start of the game, and it wasn’t just Mintz as a point guard. Karl Ravech started the ESPN broadcast by walking alone when technical difficulties pushed Jimmy Dykes out of the first eight minutes of the game. When he returned, it was Dykes’ dial-up version. He shouldn’t have waited that long to get the jet out of the hangar.
Snapped Streaks
The game went well for most of the second half, giving Calipari the opportunity to let Askew play out of his crisis. The point guard made his first shot in three games, scoring six points, catching three rebounds and giving two assists, without a turn in 14 minutes of action.
There was a much longer streak broken on Saturday afternoon at Rupp. Cam’Ron Fletcher nailed it, scoring his first points since the season’s opening weekend against Richmond. Everyone took action. Zan Payne scored his first career points by sharing the word with Riley Welch, Brennan Canada and Kareem Watkins.
Isaiah Jackson avoids dirty problems
It’s amazing what happens when the mighty Kentucky striker is really in the game. Again and again, silent whistles force him to the sideline. That was not what happened on Saturday afternoon.
Jackson was efficient, dropping 5 of 8 shots to score 13 points. He also blocked a shot, stole a few passes and grabbed 10 rebounds for just his second double-double of the season.
A Final Feel-Good
Kentucky’s 2020-21 season was defined by nail biting deficiencies. Interestingly, bookends of the regular season were each an explosion of more than 25 points.
The Wildcats rediscovered some confidence, especially in their ability to throw, when entering the SEC Tournament, their last salvation in the NCAA Tournament. Trust is not the right word to describe what Kentucky achieved with the positive victory over South Carolina. Trust is a feeling that can be fleeting. It certainly was after the three-game winning streak in February against Florida. Kentucky now has something much more valuable: hope.
Hope is a powerful feeling, a tool that can move mountains. Kentucky’s earlier stains may remain in the past. The Wildcats are anxious, playing one game at a time, hoping that the next basketball game will be the best of all.
“It is never too late. I have faith,” said Davion Mintz. “God is real and things happen for a reason. If we get a chance to go there and play for 40 minutes, it is never too late. We will see next week. ”